You really have to appreciate it when the VP of the company I work for tells you they are closing the office at noon on Good Friday. Especially when your car is packed and ready to head north. I didn’t have to be told twice and a few minutes later I was on the highway and headed to my Mom’s place in Oscoda. Since I was arriving so early I was hoping to get her to-do list done toady and go steelhead fishing the next morning. For once everything worked out like I wanted and I was all clear to fish the following day.

I awoke the next morning bright and early, around 8:30 am. I got all my gear together and made the short drive over to the AuSable river. Along the way I spotted a female woodcock doing the “timberdoodle two-step” across King’s Corner road so I stopped to watch her for a bit. Turns out a lot of critters were out and about this morning. I saw plenty of deer and sandhill cranes in the fields getting a late morning meal, And one turkey that had something else on his mind.

I arrived at the parking lot around 9:00 am and got set up. I was expecting a lot of vehicles with it being the weekend and I was surprised to see only one truck. I wasn’t going to complain but I couldn’t help but wonder if it was a sign that there weren’t any fish around. Once I got to the river I spotted the truck owner, a Father and Son spending the morning together. I talked to the Father for a few minutes, they caught one small steelhead further upstream and a sucker a couple of minutes ago. I asked which way they were headed and then I went in the opposite direction. Once I got about 100 yards away from them I waded in and started swinging a black/purple Senyo A.I. I was also using my Sage “Pulse” 8wt rod today. I have a feeling this is going to be the rod I use the most in Alaska so I wanted to spend as much casting time with it that I can. I started going through my usual routine. Cast, mend, take two steps downstream. I kept trying to land the fly at an angle along the seam on the opposite side of the river. I was standing in an area where the current shifts from the north side to the south. I was hoping a fish would be lying on the opposite side and be pissed off enough that he would crush my fly. No such luck. Eventually the two fishermen I saw earlier had left so I continued to work my way downstream.

A River all to myself.

After about an hour I waded out and decided to switch flies (Pink Predator Scandi) and put on a heavier MOW tip. I was running a T-11 2.5 float/7.5 sink and I changed over to a T-14. I really have no idea how deep the water is on the other side but since I wasn’t hitting bottom I knew I wasn’t getting deep enough. Even though the water is very clear I don’t expect the fish to chase a fly to much in this cold water. I gave that set up a swing for about half an hour to no avail as well. I had some more time before the wind advisory was supposed to go into affect (possible 45 mph winds) so I decide to go on a walk-a-bout and see what I could find downstream. There is plenty of fishable water, it’s just a matter of getting to it and no one else being there. Eventually I ended up at a spot called “Joe’s Point”.

It is across the river from a very popular area and once again no one was around. I went back to casting but once again I didn’t have any luck. I didn’t see any fish on the gravel either. Still, it was a near perfect day. Overcast skies, no wind (yet) and nature was definitely active. Mallards and Woodducks were making all kinds of noise along with the occasional Kingfisher. As I was walking out I bumped another Woodcock. He’s probably thinking he should have stayed south a little bit longer this year. I was thinking I should have stayed in bed longer as well. Oh well, there will be another time. Don’t know if I will be able to get back up here again though. I may have time for a trip to the Alley for a day but I don’t know about a run north. Guess it depends how ambitious I get. On my way home Sunday I did stop at Omer to see how the sucker run was going. I had stopped on the way up and their were a few fishermen catching suckers. The trip home was a different story. The cold front was keeping people indoors and I wasn’t seeing any fish being caught. I’m sure Monday will be a different story, no wind and warmer temps. Until the next front comes through.